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Celiac.com 01/15/2019 - The annual Girl Scout cookie season is kicking off for 2019 with some fresh new cookies, including the gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip. The Scouts’ newest treat is flavored with semi-sweet chocolate chips, caramel and a hint of sea salt.
The gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie is the first new Girl Scout cookie since their popular S’mores was introduced in 2016, and the first new gluten-free cookie since the Girl Scouts first introduced gluten-free cookies nationally in 2015. Each Caramel Chocolate Chip cookie has just under 60 calories, 4 grams of sugar and just under 3 grams of fat. Other traditional Girl Scout favorites include Thin Mints, Do-si-dos, Samoas and Trefoils.
The Girl Scouts have two other gluten-free offerings: Toffee-tastic, a buttery cookie with sweet and crunchy golden toffee bits, and Trios, a peanut butter oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is committed to promoting entrepreneurial and business skills in girls. According to a statement by Girl Scouts of the USA CEO Sylvia Acevedo “…all Girl Scout Cookie proceeds stay local to power year-round troop projects and activities, when you buy Girl Scout Cookies, you are making an investment in girls and in your local community."
Cookies prices may vary regionally, as they are set individually by each of the local 112 Girl Scout councils. To buy Girl Scout cookies, including their newest gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip, download the Girl Scout Cookie Finder app or go to Girlscoutcookies.org and enter your zip code.
Have you tried the Girl Scouts’ new gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip or other gluten-free cookies yet? If you do, please chime in and let us know your thoughts.

Celiac.com 09/19/2018 - Great news for gluten-free cookies lovers! Girl Scouts has announced the debut of a new gluten-free cookie to its enormously popular cookie brand.
The new Caramel Chocolate Chip is a chewy cookie that contains caramel, semi-sweet chocolate chips, and a hint of sea salt. also happens to be gluten-free. The new gluten-free treat will be available in select areas during the 2019 cookie-selling season; which typically runs from February to April each year.
The gluten-free Caramel Chocolate Chip joins the Girl Scouts’ two other gluten-free offerings: Toffee-tastic, a buttery cookie with sweet and crunchy golden toffee bits, and Trios, a peanut butter oatmeal cookie with chocolate chips.
The Girl Scouts of America has been around for over 100 years and now hosts more than 1.8 million girl members. Every year, about 100 million scouts between the ages of five and 18 sell approximately 200 million boxes of cookies nationwide. According to the Girl Scouts website, that money stays local to develop local leadership training activities, summer camps, and more activities.
According to a 2016 study conducted by the Girl Scout Research Institute, approximately 85% of Girl Scouts surveyed said that Girl Scout Cookie Program helped them learn how to set goals and meet deadlines, while 88% said it helped them become effective decision-makers. Another 88% said they learned how to manage money, while 94% said the program helped them to learn business ethics.
The Girl Scouts have also added online sales and iOS and Android apps that allow people to find cookies or order from their phones.

I have been using the same sugar cookie recipe for 35 years. It is the only one my family knows. Now two of us have Celiac Disease and I'd love advice on how to adjust the baking powder, adding xanthan gum, etc. to make it as close as possible. I've already made a batch of America's Test Kitchen's Gluten Free All Purpose Flour Blend, but I also have some King Arthur All Purpose and Bobs Red Mill 1 for 1 in my cupboard. I'm new to gluten-free baking and never tried to adapt anything yet. I should also point out that I am brand new to using forums/chat rooms! This is the recipe I've used forever: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/my_favorite_christmas_cookies_from_childhood_and_beyond/
I would appreciate any suggestions. Would love to do a test run while my kids are here for Thanksgiving. Thanks!!

Celiac.com 03/28/2017 - A savvy Girl Scout from New Jersey is close to selling more cookies than anyone in history thanks to her brutal reviews of the sweet treats that have gone viral.
Employing brutally honest cookie reviews, skilled networking and aggressive sales tactics, 11-year-old Charlotte McCourt set a new Girl Scout cookie-selling world record by selling 21,477 boxes of cookies, shattering the 35 year old previous record.
Originally, Charlotte was aiming to sell at least 300 boxes. As part of her effort, McCourt rated all of her cookies on a scale from 1 to 10, and included frankly worded reviews. She then emailed the rankings and reviews of her offerings to her dad's "rich" friend in hopes of swaying him to purchase a bulk of her 300-box goal.
For example, Charlotte rated the gluten-free Toffee-tastic cookies a , calling them a "bleak, flavorless gluten-free wasteland." She also slammed Do-si-dos as "unoriginal."
She did praise Samoas, the crisp cookie with shredded coconut, caramel and chocolate, rating them a 9.
The wealthy pal, who was revealed Wednesday to be Colorado-based venture capitalist Jason Mendelson, was blown away when he received the sales pitch from McCourt.
Mendelson, childhood friends with McCourt's father, Sean, was sold on her pitch, immediately buying 25 boxes and donating them all to the military.
"As I'm reading her plea, all I can think is, 'My God, I'm a venture capitalist. I get pitched 30 to 40 times a day. This is an 11-year-old telling me exactly what she wants. There's no beating around the bush,'" he told The Post. "It is a master class on sales," he added.
Later, Sean's boss, TV personality Mike Rowe, shared the email with his Facebook followers, reading it and cracking up at the gutsy critique. Rowe's video, called "Truth In Advertising!" was uploaded Jan. 25 and has received over 8.4 million views, and triggered thousands of cookie orders for McCourt.
Read more at: GoodNewNetwork.org

Celiac.com 12/13/2016 - Cookie exchanges are fun social occasions but let's resolve to make cookies healthier next year. They don't need to be 7 layer high fat, high sugar indulgences that contribute to many chronic diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular damage and dementia. Yes, high sugar is now identified as a major contributor to dementia and even has its own classification called Type 3 diabetes. As the levels of obesity and diabetes continue to generate headlines, emphasis on reducing sugar will continue to make news. Stevia now has a global market over $300 million as a sugar substitute but it continues to lag behind other sugar substitutes in the U.S. Stevia leaf has been valued for centuries throughout South America for its sweetening properties. It is about time Americans started using a healthier sugar substitute that the Japanese have enjoyed for decades.
Using sugar substitutes like stevia, erythritol and xylitol can modify calories without sacrificing taste. These sweetening agents are better choices than the other sugar substitutes used in sugar-free foods.
Whole grain gluten-free flours like hemp and quinoa provide more protein, fiber, calcium and iron than whole wheat so gluten-free cookies are healthier than conventional choices. These flours impart a nutty taste to delight any appetite. Quinoa is the Andean cereal that originated in the Ecuador, Bolivia, Columbia and Peru region of South America. Quinoa and hemp are both becoming increasingly popular throughout the United States and are available in most health food stores. What was once considered "peasant food" now sells for a higher price per pound than chicken! Quinoa flakes are easy to use in cookies, yogurt or soups for added protein and nutrients.
Butter and coconut oil add the most calories to each cookie. Don't pay any attention to all those negative comments about saturated fat content of butter and coconut oil. There is no science to demonstrate they are unhealthy. Coconut oil is made unhealthy when hydrogen is added to the oil to make non-dairy cream or whipped toppings. Theron Randolph, M.D. described it best when he stated "analytical dietetics" (what can be assessed by a machine) is not "biological dietetics" (how food is used in your body).
Many recipes and commercially baked products contain xanthan gum to make the dough more sticky. This recipe does not use of xanthan gum because it is derived from the fungus, xanthomonas campestris (the black mold on broccoli, cauliflower or leafy greens). This fungus is grown on corn, wheat, dairy or soy to produce the powder. Since no studies have been done about sensitivities to xanthan gum produced from these foods, anyone with sensitivities to these foods should limit or avoid products that do not state the source for the production of xanthan gum. Remember, it is a thickening agent that can be present in many foods like salad dressings, ice cream, egg substitute products, etc. As a thickener, xanthan gum is a very effective laxative
This one basic cookie recipe can provide lots of variety for health snacks throughout the coming year. Cookies can provide a quick snack so numerous options mean healthy eating for everyone.
Chocolate Chip Quinoa Cookies
Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup butter or margarine
3/4 cup Xylitol sweetener or 3 tablespoons stevia- erythritol sweetener
2 eggs
3/4 cup brown rice flour or hemp flour
3/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup quinoa flakes or hemp hearts
1 cup (6 oz) chocolate baking chips
2 tablespoons water
Directions: Cream together coconut oil, butter, sweetener and eggs. Add rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly. Drop by teaspoons onto lightly oiled baking sheet. Press down and bake in 350 degree oven 10-12 minutes, or until browned. Makes 3 dozen.
To make Oatmeal Spice Cookies: add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves instead of chocolate chips.
To make Hemp Raisin Cookies: add 1/2 cup raisins instead of chocolate chips and use hemp flour
To make Peanut Butter Cookies: add 1 cup peanut butter to creamed mixture. Top with chocolate chip, if desired.
Calories per cookie: 158; Protein: 3 g; Carbohydrates: 16 g; Fat: 8 g, Sodium: 69 mg.

My first blog takes me back 5 years ago when my youngest daughter started her freshman year of high school. She had been diagnosed Celiac for 5 years at this point, by now I was sure my daughter had come to terms with her restrictive diet. She was happy-go-lucky Madeline, ever smiling, always positive, living every day with joy. Little did I suspect that the social acceptance of being a young gluten-free teen was secretly troubling her and it was about to burst forth in a profusion of tears and sudden flight from her classroom. All because of just one cookie! Nobody wants to read the minutiae of a teenager's day, so I will sum up the event. Choir class of 100 students, dozens of cookies left over from an evening event, the class is all offered cookies. A hundred girls each enjoy one delicious cookie while one girl sits among them with nothing. Madeline politely approached the choir teacher and asked if she could get something from the choir store since she couldn't have a cookie, at which the teacher replied, "Madeline it's just one cookie!" [insert gushing tears and dramatic stage right here] Two class periods later, the oldest sister, Claire, enters the choir room. Claire is a gifted singer, little miss detail and unofficial teacher helper…she is also a Celiac. The choir director is concerned about Madeline's meltdown and speaks to Claire asking if her little sister is always so emotional over things as insignificant as "Just One Cookie". Claire's response is spot on. "Sir, you don't understand, its not just one cookie…its one cookie yesterday, one cookie today, one cookie tomorrow, and the day after that and after that and after that…it will never be just one cookie for her!" Four years later at Madeline's graduation party, one of her fellow graduates (also a Celiac) came up and hugged me and said. "Mrs. Wilson I have been looking forward to Madeline's party all week because I knew you would have Gluten-Free cake. This is the only piece of graduation cake I will get to have." Wow! She, too, was longing to fully participate, to have the same experience as everyone else. All I could do was hug her, congratulate her on her graduation, and ask if she would like me to wrap up an extra piece for a rainy day. Over the years I had gone to great lengths to ensure my girls were fully included in sleepovers, cookouts, and pizza parties because sharing food and drink is the most common form of social ritual, an intrinsic part of feeling included. I found that when it comes to a gluten-free lifestyle, its never been about "Just One Cookie".

If you want peanut butter that has the consistency of a soda fountain milkshake—not too thick but not too thin—this is it.
I could not get enough of the Cookie Nookie flavor. It has just the right amount of sweetness thanks to a lovely combination of sugar, honey, and vanilla. For a great treat anytime, I highly recommend Cookie Nookie Gluten-Free Peanut Butter. Just make sure the adults in your family keep their supply away from the kitchen pantry that is shared with the kids during the upcoming school holiday vacation!
For more information, check out: www.pbcrave.com.
Review written by Patricia Seeley.

Cute, decorated sugar cookies are practically synonymous with Christmas; no Christmas party is complete without a plate of them at the refreshment table. Beautiful Sweets offers a decorated set of Christmas cookies that are not only cute, Christmassy, chewy, sweet and delicious, but gluten-free as well.
The first thing any person would notice looking at these cookies is that they are... well, Christmas cookies! They fit right in with the spirit of the season, looking every bit like the sugar cookies we've all grown to expect at this time of year.
The best thing about these cookies though is that they really do taste as good as they look. I am not on a gluten-free diet, and even I loved them! They're, sweet, flavorful and slightly chewy, even after being shipped across state lines. I highly recommend them if you're in the market for this sort of thing, as I seriously wouldn't have been able to tell they were gluten-free if I hadn't known.
Visit their site for more info: www.beautifulsweets.com.
Note: Articles that appear in the "Gluten-Free Food Reviews" section of this site are paid advertisements. For more information about this see our Advertising Page.

Here's a recipe for gluten-free cookie clusters. They’re delicious as a dessert, but depending on how much of a sweet-tooth you have, they could even serve as a good breakfast snack/pastry! One of the things I like about this is that the recipe comes from a naturopathic dietician who has been able to work the "Konsyl Original" fiber supplement directly into the recipe itself.
This is especially great if you have kids with celiac, who may need nutritional supplements like fiber, but have to be wary of gluten. The recipe is flexible, so if you’re feeling particularly adventurous in the kitchen, you might even try adding in your own favorite ingredients or taking any out to accommodate even the pickiest of eaters! And best of all, the end result is a dessert that will give you the fiber you need, in a form you love. After all, who doesn’t want a cookie? Particularly with these ingredients...brown sugar, almonds, dried fruit (or any substitute of your choice), and maple syrup.
Ingredients: 2 cup rolled oats 1/2 cup Konsyl Original psyllium fiber 2 tablespoons brown sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup or more of any of the following: walnuts, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts or any other nut, coconut flakes, dates, raisins, dried cherries, dried cranberries or any other dried fruit 1/4 cup maple syrup 3 tbsp coconut oil or melted butter 1 tablespoon water 2 teaspoons cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions: Preheat oven to 325 F.
Spray a 9x13 cookie sheet.
Mix oats, Konsyl, sugar, salt and nuts (reserve dried fruits for later).
Bring syrup, oil, water, cinnamon and vanilla to a low simmer in a sauce pan.
Drizzle on oat mixture and stir.
Pour onto cookie sheet, squeezing and pinching to make clusters.
Bake 20 minutes. Stir and add in dried fruit. Bake 5 more minutes. Cool and store in an airtight container.

We recently received gluten-free oatmeal cookie samples from Deborah Kayes Cookies, and their "Oatmeal Chocolate Pecan" cookie was calling my name!
Before I go any further with this review, I have to say that these are not your ordinary gluten-free cookies. These cookies are loaded with certified gluten-free oats and contain no flours or refined sugars. In addition to this most of the ingredients are organic. Their cookies have a bit of a rustic look since they are all hand made, and they are huge compared to most cookies on the market (gluten free or not). Each cookie is also individually wrapped which makes it convenient for those times when I have to rush out the door with the kids, or need to keep something in my desk for a snack.
I took my first bite and was not sure what to expect...but I absolutely loved the soft, almost "just out of the oven" texture. The cookie was not lacking in taste or texture and all the flavors were beautifully balanced. I fell in love with Deborah Kayes Cookies, and since they use wholesome ingredients I can now satisfy my cookie craving guilt free!
For more information about Deborah Kayes Cookies, visit their Web site: http://deborahkayes.com
Note:Articles that appearin the "Gluten-Free Product Reviews" section of this site are paidadvertisements. For more information about this seeour Advertising Page.

Celiac.com 11/17/2008 - One of the great pleasures of the holidays is having a wide assortment of goodies around to enjoy with family and friends. Don’t get left out of the fun just because you’re gluten-intolerant. Organize an old-fashioned cookie exchange with a gluten-free twist. Here’s how to do it...
Pick a date and invite people to participate:
The easy route: just get your family and friends together for the event at your house. Whether or not they are gluten-intolerant, these recipes will make everyone happy. They really won’t miss the gluten. Or, if you belong to a celiac support group, this is a natural activity to suggest.
Alternatively, you can do a more public event. There are probably more gluten-free people in your local area than you think there are. Put a notice in your local paper offering to organize and host a gluten-free cookie exchange and see how many responses you get. Your biggest problem may be limiting the numbers. Fifteen people is probably the upper limit for a civilized cookie exchange…unless you have some ambitious organizers to help you. If you do decide to take all comers, try dividing the participants into smaller subgroups to exchange cookies among themselves. That could also allow people with other common sensitivities (e.g., dairy or nuts) to exchange recipes among themselves, with the appropriate common denominators.
Arrange a venue – a local college culinary arts program kitchen, a community hall, the hall of a place of worship, or the home-base of a civic organization. It is often possible to find a space with a large kitchen at little or no expense for such purposes and it will give you a chance to demonstrate gluten-free cooking techniques and increase community awareness of gluten-intolerance. If there is a cost, you can ask participants to contribute (or look for community sponsorship).
Set and distribute the ground rules:
Use gluten-free ingredients only. Follow recipes carefully.
Prevent cross-contamination with gluten during preparation, baking and handling. Scrupulously clean all utensils and surfaces before you begin. Unless baking pans/cookie sheets have ONLY been used for gluten-free baking, line them with parchment paper or aluminum foil (some recipes call for this step anyway, to prevent sticking). Tip: use some gluten-free baking spray on the pan before you line it with parchment paper. The spray will keep the paper from curling up and slipping around while you work.
Participants should make copies of the recipe/s they bake and bring them to the exchange. This allows others to check ingredients as well as to expand their cookie repertories.
Distribute recipes: If each participant makes one or two recipes, with no duplication, everyone will get a maximum variety of sweets to take home. You could manage this by just assigning each person a recipe or two, or you can ask participants to call or e-mail you with their preferences, so that you can prevent duplication. You’ll also need to decide how many cookies each person should make (do the math: how much variety do you want? how many of each type of cookie will people want to bring home?). Most of these recipes make 2-3 dozen. Recipes can be doubled, if you wish to end up with more of each type. Extras are also fair game for tasting at the exchange….I have included a number of recipes here (followed by a listing of sources), but you may want to add your favorite gluten-free cookie recipes. Be sure to give recipes for flour mixes to participants, as needed. Surf the web for gluten free cookie recipes (Celiac.com is a good source, but there are others, as well) of use your favorite cookbooks. If you can’t find a gluten-free version of your favorite holiday cookie recipe, try substituting the same amount of basic gluten-free flour mix for the all-purpose wheat flour in your original recipe. It usually works.
Have a party: The exchange itself is a good excuse for a party. Serve tea, coffee, hot spiced cider or eggnog and enjoy sampling the extra cookies while you all count out your “shares.” Some of these cookies can be decorated. You may wish to do that as a group. If so, have confectioners icing, colored sugar crystals, cinnamon, food colorings, etc. available.
Have paper platters on hand or ask people to bring their own platters or tins to pack their shares home. You might want to pretty them up with ribbons or other decorations.
Flours and flour mixes: It is not difficult to mix your own gluten-free flours and they will be superior to pre-made mixes in flavor and quality of results. They will also cost you less over time. If you really get into making your own flour mixes, you may use different blends for different types of baked goods. I grind my own brown rice, which really makes for a superior flavor and complete control over texture. But following are fine multi-purpose blends that you can mix up from store bought ingredients.
Gluten-free Flour Mixes called for in the following recipes:
Multi-Blend Gluten-Free Flour (source: Celiac.com)
2 ¼ cups finely ground brown rice flour (or mix white and brown rice flours, if preferred)
¼ cup potato starch flour (potato starch or potato starch flour is not to be confused with potato flour)
2/3 cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
¾ cup sweet rice flour (Mochiko brand can typically be found in Asian section of stores)
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 teaspoons xanthan gum (or guar gum)
Featherlight Mix (source: Betty Hagman)
1 cup each of rice flour, tapioca flour and cornstarch
1 tablespoon of potato flour (NOT potato starch)
Simple Gluten-Free Flour Mix (aka Food Philosopher Brown Rice Flour Mix from Annalise Roberts; Basic Gluten-free Mix from Rebecca Reilly)
2 cups finely ground brown rice flour
2/3 cup potato starch
1/3 cup tapioca starch
COOKIE RECIPES Hazelnut Cookies (16-18 cookies)
1 ¾ cups hazelnut flour ¼ cup tapioca starch ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum ¼ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder 1 stick unsalted butter 1 cup sugar ¾ teaspoon gluten-free vanilla 1 egg yolk
Mix together the hazelnut flour, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Cream the butter until white. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy, abt. 5 min. Add the vanilla and egg yolk. Blend. Stir in the dry ingredients. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Lightly spray the paper with cooking spray.
Make 1 ½ inch balls and place them on the cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between. Bake 15-20 min. The bottoms will have a slight golden brown color. Cool slightly before transferring to a cooling rack
VARIATIONS: Use pecan or almond flour in place of hazelnut.
Walnut Orange Biscotti (makes abt 3 doz)
1 ½ cups Basic Gluten-Free Mix ¼ cup sweet rice flour 1 teaspoon xanthan gum ½ teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon gluten-free baking powder 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 2 teaspoons grated orange zest 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla 1 ½ cups chopped, lightly toasted walnuts
Mix together gluten-free flour mix, sweet rice flour, xanthan gum, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Cream butter until white. Add sugar and beat until fluffy, abt 5 min.
Blend in the eggs, one at a time. Add orange zest and vanilla, then stir in the nuts. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients to form a soft dough. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. The dough bakes better if refrigerated overnight.
Preheat the oven to 375. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets and line with parchment paper.
Divide the dough into 3 equal pieces. Roll each piece into a log 1 ½ -2 inches thick. Place 2 logs on one cookie sheet, leaving enough space betweent hem for the dough to spread while baking. Place the third log on the other cookie sheet. Bake the logs for 20 mins.
Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and let sit for 5-10 min. Slice the logs on a slight diagonal about ¾ inch thick. Place the slices, cut side down, on the cookie sheets. Lower the oven temperature to 350 and bake the slices for 10-12 min. Cool on a cooling rack. Store in an airtight container.
Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies (2 dozen)
2 ½ cups Basic gluten-free Mix 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon ginger ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon xanthan gum ¼ teaspoon cloves 1/8 teaspoon salt 1 stick unsalted butter ½ cup packed brown sugar ½ cup molasses 1 egg ½ cup buttermilk
Mix together gluten-free mix, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, xanthan gum, cloves, and salt. Cream the butter until white. Add sugar and beat until fluffy, abt. 5 min. Slowly pour in the molasses. Beat until creamy. Add the egg. Alternately add the buttermilk and dry ingredients in 3 additions. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper.
Using a medium or small ice cream scoop, place mounds of dough on the cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches between the mounds. Or roll the dough into 1 ½ in balls, place on the cookie sheet, and flatten slightly. Bake for 8-12 min, depending on the size. Let the cookies sit for 5 min on the coolie sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
Scottish Shortbread Cookies (2 dozen)
2 cups brown rice flour ½ cup almond flour ¼ cup sweet rice flour ½ teaspoon xanthan gum 1/8 teaspoon salt 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature ½ cup packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon. gluten-free vanilla 2 tablespoon heavy cream mixed with an egg yolk, for glazing cookies (optional)
Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and line it with parchment paper. Mix together the brown rice flour, almond flour, sweet rice flour, xanthan gum and salt.
Cream the butter until white. Add sugar and beat until fluffy, about 5 min. Add the vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients. Keep mixing until you have a soft cookie dough.
For traditional shortbread cookies, divide the dough into 3 pieces. Lightly flour the counter with white rice flour. Roll out the dough into a round 1/3 -1/2 in thick. Thicker cookies will be somewhat softer; thinner ones, crisper. For a golden finish, brush the dough with the egg glaze. Using a fork, prick the surface gently. Cut into wedges. Place pieces on the cookie sheet 1 in apart and bake for 12-20 min, depending upon the thickness. Transfer to a cooling rack.
Chocolate-Chip Coconut Macaroons (3 dozen)
½ cup sugar 2 extra large eggs 1 ½ cup coconut flour (coconut powder) 1 tablespoon melted butter or margarine 1 teaspoon gluten-free vanilla 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped
Preheat oven to 325. Line a large cookie sheet with aluminum foil. In a medium bowl, beat the sugar and the eggs until pale and thick, at least 5 min. Fold in the coconut powder, melted butter, vanilla, and chocolate.
Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls about 1 in apart onto the lined cookie sheet. Bake in the upper part of the preheated oven for 18 min. Transfer to a platter with a metal spatula.
Nut-filled Dates (makes 25)
2/3 cup ground, blanched almonds 2 ½ teaspoon sugar Grated zest of 1 lemon 1 tablespoon rum 25 pitted dates 5 oz. melted chocolate
In a medium bowl, combine the almonds, sugar, lemon zest, and rum. Using a small spoon, fill each date with the nut mixture. Dip the end of each filled date in the melted chocolate and allow it to harden.
Melting Moments
½ cup cornstarch ½ cup confectioners sugar ¾ cup softened unsalted butter Pinch of salt 1 cup gluten-free flour mix
Mix dry ingredients together into the softened butter to form a dough. Chill at least one hour. Preheat oven to 375. Roll into ropes. Cut into small, uniform pieces (a bit smaller than a quarter). Roll in sugar that has been placed on wax paper. Dip cookie press in sugar and before pressing each cookie (Tip: if cookie press sticks to the dough, oil it lightly with cooking spray). Bake on greased cookie sheets for 25 min.
Gingerbread Cookies (makes a lot…)
In a large bowl, beat together: ¾ cup butter ¾ cup sugar ¾ cup molasses 1 teaspoon baking soda 1-2 tablespoons fresh, finely grated ginger (or 1 teaspoon ground ginger) ½ teaspoon cinnamon ½ teaspoon nutmeg
Dissolve 2 teaspoons instant coffee in 2 tablespoons hot water (OR use 2 tablespoons very strong brewed coffee) and stir into sugar mixture.
Gradually stir in 3 ¼ cups Multi-blend gluten-free flour mix. Cover and chill until firm, at least 3 hours and up to 3 days.
Use gluten-free flour mix or sweet rice flour to dust rolling surface. Roll to ¼ in thickness. Cut with cookie cutters, as desired. Use all your dough – just gather scraps together and roll them out again.
Bake at 325 for 10-15 minutes. Cool briefly on pan, then transfer to wire racks. When completely cool, decorate as desired with confectioner’s icing and other gluten-free decorations, such as colored sugar crystals, candied fruit, etc.
Pecan Butter Cookies (Mexican Wedding Cakes) – makes about 50
1 cup unsalted butter 6 tablespoons confectioners sugar 2 teaspoons gluten-free vanilla 2 cups Brown Rice Flour Mix 1 teaspoon xanthan gum 1 cup pecans, toasted (bake about 5 min in preheated 350F oven) and chopped Confectioners sugar
Preheat oven to 350F. Position rack in center of oven. Lightly grease cookie sheet with baking spray. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl of electric mixer until light and creamy. Add vanilla and mix until smooth.
Add flour mix and xanthan gum; beat until a smooth dough is formed. Mix in pecans. Use your hands to shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll balls in confectioners sugar and place on cookie sheets.
Bake in center of oven for 12-15 min or until a very light golden color. Test for doneness. Bottom should be light golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. Store in an airtight container.
Dutch Sugar Cookies (makes 3 doz, 2 ½ in cookies)
2 ½ cups Featherlight Mix 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum 1 teaspoon salt 1 cup sugar 1 cup butter flavor Crisco 1 egg 2 teaspoons vanilla ¼ cup (or more) potato starch for kneading
Preheat oven to 350F. Have on hand 2 un-greased cookie sheets. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour mix, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of your mixer, cream the sugar and Crisco. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, mixing enough to combine. The dough will be a soft ball. With your hands, knead in enough of the potato starch to make the dough easy to handle and roll out.
Using about half at a time, place a piece of plastic wrap over the ball and roll out to about 1/8 in thickness. Cut into desired shapes and place on pan. Decorate with colored sugars before baking or use frosting to decorate after baking. (With this dough, you can use all the scraps. Just scrape them together and roll out again. They will not get tough)
Bake for about 13 min. Cool very slightly before removing from pan.
Almond-Pignoli Cookies
12 ounces (Solo canned) almond paste ½ cup white sugar 1 cup confectioners' sugar 4 egg whites 1 ½ cups pine nuts
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line 2 cookie sheets with foil; lightly grease foil.
Mix almond paste and granulated sugar in food processor until smooth. Add confectioners' sugar and 2 egg whites; process until smooth. The dough will be easier to handle if you chill it before proceeding to the next step
Whisk remaining 2 egg whites in small bowl. Place pine nuts on shallow plate. With lightly floured hands roll dough into 1 inch balls. Coat balls in egg whites, shaking off excess, then roll in pine nuts, pressing lightly to stick. Arrange balls on cookie sheets, and flatten slightly to form a 1 1/2 inch round.
Bake 15 to 18 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let stand on cookie sheet 1 minute. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
Gluten-Free Recipe Sources:
allrecipes.com (Pignoli Cookies I, reproduced above as Almond-Pignoli Cookies)
Hagman, Bette The Gluten-free Gourmet Makes Dessert (Henry Holt, 2002) Dutch Sugar Cookies, p. 175
Reilly, Rebecca, Gluten-Free Baking (Simon & Schuster, 2002) Walnut-Orange Biscotti, p. 83; Hazelnut Cookies, p. 78; Old-Fashioned Molasses Cookies, p. 70; Scottish Shortbread Cookies, p. 75
Roberts, Annalise G., Gluten-Free Baking Classics (Surrey Books, 2006) Pecan Butter Cookies (aka Mexican Wedding Cakes), p.101
Mauksch, Mary Wachtel Fabulous and Flourless: 150 Wheatless and Dairy-free Desserts (MacMillan, 1997) Chocolate Chip Macaroons, p. 139; Nut-filled Dates, p.159
Morrow, Phyllis (old favorites made gluten-free): Gingerbread Men (or Women, or Children, or Bears….)
Melting Moments (adapted from the recipe of a dear Danish friend, Clara Foged, who called them “melting moomins”)

Kay's Naturals makes snacking healthy, and they have done it yet again. The leader of high-protein, gluten-free snacks has come out with another delicious product. Cinnamon flavored, almond butter-filled Cookie Bites by Kay's Naturals, is a scrumptious bite sized cookie snack that tastes good right out of the box, or poured in a bowl with your favorite milk. Kay's Cinnamon Cookie Bites are light, flaky and crunchy all rolled into one full-flavored bite. The almond flavor is subtle and not over-powering, and each bite is coated with just the right amount of cinnamon, so it stay's flavorful (and crunchy) in milk.
Not only are Kay's all natural Cookie Bites tasty, they're healthy too. Kay's Cookie Bites are made with all natural ingredients; no GMO ingredients are used to make Kay's products. Each serving comes with ten grams of protein (the protein equivalent of two eggs), three grams of fiber, and zero cholesterol. So if you are looking to build muscles, lose weight, or simply munch on something yummy and healthy, then these snacks are for you.
Kay's Cookie Bites come in one ounce or five ounce bags, making them ideal for keeping a large box in your pantry, and popping some single serve bags into your purse or backpack for an on-the-go snack. Kay's snacks are low in sugar, only three grams per serving, and as a bonus, they are also low glycemic ( for those watching their sugar intake), making these high-protein snacks a great addition to your child's lunch box, or as an after-school snack.
Kay's batch tests all of their products for gluten-free, so you can enjoy your snacks worry-free.
For more information on ordering this and other Kay's Naturals products, visit their site: http://kaysnaturals.com/celiac/
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When I first opened the package of Squirrel’s Bakery Gluten-Free Coconut and Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars I was surprised by their unique shape: The package contained two bars that are approximately 2.5” x 3” and they are around an inch thickÂ­so they resemble a brownie in size and shape. They aren't kidding when they use the terms “thick & hearty” to describe these cookie bars.
In addition to being gluten-free, Squirrel’s Bakery thick & hearty cookie bars are also soy, dairy and nut-free, so they will appeal to those of you who have additional food intolerances or allergies, as well as to those who have celiac disease. The bars are made using quality ingredients like Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free oats, organic brown rice flour and Enjoy Life gluten, soy, dairy & nut free chocolate chips, and they are also a good source of fiber, iron, calcium and protein (the bars do contain eggs).
The first thing I noticed when biting into the Squirrel’s Gluten-Free Coconut and Chocolate Chip bar is the large coconut flakes, which tasted wonderful. This taste was enhanced by the wonderful combination of their allergy-friendly chocolate chips, along with their blend of gluten-free flours and oats. The texture was very nice, it was not too moist and not too dryÂ­I’ve never been a fan of overly-soft cookies or bars.
The last question that must be answered about this excellent gluten-free “cookie”: Could I get used to eating “cookie bars” instead of regular old cookies? Sure…I really can't imagine anyone who would not enjoy these special treats! They should please the most die hard cookie lovers, and offer a unique take on a traditional treat.
Squirrel’s Bakery is a small family owned cookie manufacturing business based in Virginia Beach, Virginia and was founded in 2009. For more information, you can visit their Web site at www.squirrelsbakery.com.
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Over the weekend my wife made a batch of Doodles Cookies Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix. This gluten free cookie mix is very easy to prepare, and the gluten free cookies were ready in about 45 minutes, from start to finish. We ended up with around two dozen very tasty chocolate chip cookies. On top of their great taste, Doodles Cookies are all-natural and organic, and contain whole grain oat and brown rice flours as their base ingredients.
My entire family, including my two kids, really liked these cookies and would recommend them to anyone on a gluten-free diet...or not!
For more info visit their Web site at: www.doodlescookies.com.
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This recipe comes to us from Sue DeVries.
3 parts brown rice flour 1 part potato flour (not potato starch flour) I use this flour mix for all of my old recipes from the days before I had to eat gluten-free. My cookies turn out great!